UK members - Warning HMRC automated system nearly cost me £7000+

Got a letter from HMRC today claiming I owed £7000+ in taxes. I knew I was in credit so immediately phoned them up and staff were mystified why the letter had been sent out as stating I had already recieved a letter from them statomg I was in credit..

They asked to phone back in 15 minutes and was told it was lucky I phoned today as the false £7000+ figure would automatically be withdrawn from my bank account at midnight tomorrow. HMRC staff immediately cancelled the pending withdrawal.

I was told it was an error in the automated system as I was in credeit and to put a cross throught the lette, the name of the person I spoke to and they woud immediately cancek the wityhdrawal of the false £7000+ figure. Bank records now show the payment has been cancelled - I rarely use online banking so had no idea of the pending withdrawall.

It wasn't a bank fraud/scam as I was carefull to look up the official number rather than use the one on the letter. Staff were very confused, appologetic and corrected the error within 30 mins. If the money had been taken in error it would have taken months to get it back and waste a lot of time and money.

I've no idea if this is widespread or what my rights are for calling an investigatoin into how this happened but I warn UK members to be on the lookout for any letters recieved from HMRC and act on them immediately if they contain incorrect figures and false claims you owe tax.

a reply to: bastion

Another reason why my dealing with HMRC are very limited!

Pleased you got it sorted but how many people have been wronged?

originally posted by: bastion
Got a letter from HMRC today claiming I owed £7000+ in taxes. I knew I was in credit so immediately phoned them up and staff were mystified why the letter had been sent out as stating I had already recieved a letter from them statomg I was in credit..

They asked to phone back in 15 minutes and was told it was lucky I phoned today as the false £7000+ figure would automatically be withdrawn from my bank account at midnight tomorrow. HMRC staff immediately cancelled the pending withdrawal.

I was told it was an error in the automated system as I was in credeit and to put a cross throught the lette, the name of the person I spoke to and they woud immediately cancek the wityhdrawal of the false £7000+ figure. Bank records now show the payment has been cancelled - I rarely use online banking so had no idea of the pending withdrawall.

It wasn't a bank fraud/scam as I was carefull to look up the official number rather than use the one on the letter. Staff were very confused, appologetic and corrected the error within 30 mins. If the money had been taken in error it would have taken months to get it back and waste a lot of time and money.

I've no idea if this is widespread or what my rights are for calling an investigatoin into how this happened but I warn UK members to be on the lookout for any letters recieved from HMRC and act on them immediately if they contain incorrect figures and false claims you owe tax.

oi bruv, perhaps it was fer yer tv loicense or yer ATS posting loicense fee

a reply to: bastion

Shocking , I can imagine the feeling reading that , calling HMRC is no fun either.

I had a letter this morning telling me it's time to file my taxes , that was bad enough but thanks for the warning.

I had an unknown caller trying to give me fifteen and a half million dollars today. Hung up on him all three times. I mentioned in the second call I never bought a lottery ticket or entered a contest, he said for me to listen first....I hung up after maybe twenty seconds. The last call I said I know it is a scam and he never called a forth time. I told him the second time I will never give him any financial or personal info, he said he already had all that....which makes me wonder if he actually did have my personal info. I never say a clear yes when someone calls or never follow their lead to have me say certain things either, used to all the scam calls where they try to lead you into saying certain words like yes and your name and many more. They can piece together a sentence easily from a scam call. Otherwise Pretty soon I would have a subscription to a car warrantee coming out of my bank account.

a reply to: bastion

I always thought the tax credits were a scam.

I tried to see if I qualified a few years ago. Thankfully I didn't.

This is lockdown costs being extorted out of innocent victims.

I would empty that account out myself and close it if possible. Just in case somewhere up the line somebody didn't get the message and tried to put the withdrawal through. A NSF should put them off nicely.

a reply to: rickymouse
Hey? Get calls saying I charged...(muddle muffle(...$.and 99 cents...)

You wanna click it and go "not me"...when you call it....YOUVE authorized them to fill it that "blank...and 99 cents".

Take care everyone!!! $.99 cents from a million people... Is $1,000,000.00...so 1,000's of scammers...at $.99 x 1,000,000x 7 days a week x.....it's mind boggling.

I check my accts...and investments every.morning..

Heads up